37 years have passed since Israel illegally decided to steal, and stole, thousands of Dunams of Palestinian lands, especially in the Galilee in 1976, and the Palestinians in historic Palestine declared a massive strike to protest the illegal Israeli decision before Israeli tanks rolled into Arab villages, reoccupying them, and killing six Palestinians in addition to injuring dozens of Palestinians.Land Day became a symbol of steadfastness and nonviolent resistance against the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, and against Israel’s ongoing illegal confiscation of Palestinian lands and orchards in different parts of Palestine, not only in the 1948 territories, but also in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and occupied Jerusalem.
Following the illegal Israeli decision in 1976, Palestinians in historic Palestine declared a strike, and held massive nonviolent protests before being faced with brutal Israeli military force in different Arab towns and villages.
The outcome of the Israeli military violence back then led to the death of six Palestinians, four were killed by Israeli military fire, and two were killed by Israeli Police fire, dozens were wounded and the Police and the army kidnapped hundreds.
The Palestinians demanded Israel to form an investigation committee, especially since those killed and injured are considered Arab-Israeli citizens but the demands were met with rejection as Israel claimed that its army and police were facing “hostilities from the Palestinians”.
March 30 1976 became a symbol of steadfastness in every part of occupied Palestine, a day of protests and marches, and day where the Palestinians in Palestine and in exile, in their refugee camps and villages, reaffirm their steadfastness and their determination to achieve their internationally guaranteed rights in their occupied homeland.
March 30 became a day of “civil disobedience”, legal and legitimate disobedience to an occupation that stole the land, displaced the indigenous Palestinians people in the historic land of Palestine.
The Palestinians are still losing their lands and livelihood, while Israel is still stealing Palestinian lands and orchards, to build the illegal and illegitimate Annexation Wall, a Wall of apartheid that does not only separate the Palestinians from each other, but also separates the villages from their farmlands and orchards, from their livelihood and daily bread, a Wall and settlements that led to the illegal confiscation and isolation of thousands of Dunams of Palestinians lands and orchards.
This day became a day that brings all Palestinians together to declare their rejection to the illegitimate Israeli policies of land theft, and policies of illegal occupation that violates all principles of human rights, and violates numerous resolutions by the United Nations, its Security Council and its General Assembly.
